PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823
Dubiel Arms Company
To seek the freedom of a new land, founded upon the basis of human rights and liberty, was the goal of two Polish young people, John Joseph and Josephine Dubiel, as they entered the United States. Although they were born in Poland, they did not meet until they cross paths in Connecticut. It was here that they married. John worked for the Colt Arms Company in Hartford, Connecticut, but later transferred to Hoffman Arms Company in 1926, so that he and Josephine then moved to Cleveland.
In 1932 the Dubiels move to Ardmore Oklahoma where John established the Dubiel Arms Company on the north edge of Ardmore in the area of Lumbermen’s Mill. John’s son Joe Debiel learn the gun making profession from his father at an early age. He started learning at age 6 and completed his first gun at age 12. They produce the 276 and the 280 Dubiel Caliber Gun, which was the finest of the long-range calibers. But in 1938, John died. His machinery was sold to a concern in Amarillo and remained there until World War II, when the government moved it back east and produced machine gun barrels with it.
Joe had married in Ardmore girl Emmagene Torrance, and after some time in Texas and service in the United States Navy, Joe opened his own gun shop in Ardmore. It was Joe Dubiel who designed the incendiary bomb mechanism used against Japan in World War II. Joe has been selected as the world’s greatest gun maker by both the National Rifleman’s Association and the American Rifle Association.
In 1968 Joe moved to Sherman Texas. He has established another gun shop there, where he makes custom-made rifles. He is currently married to Gwen Cox Dubiel. Many Ardmore I can remember the old arms company in Ardmore, but few people realize the tremendous contribution that John and Joe Dubiel have made to this field.
-Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982Here is a picture I took of a Dubiel rifle in December 2008. It had an octagon shaped barrell.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/DubielRifle00a.jpg
1951 #15 North Washington – Dubiel Gun Repair
April 1935
Sam Robertson says Lone Grove got its name by accident. When I asked for a postoffice by petition signed by all our neighbors, I suggested the name of Lone Cedar. Just why some clerk in the postal department changed it to Lone Grove, I never knew.April 1935
All dogs in Carter County must be kept chained, muzzled or confined in pens for the next 60 days, or until such time as the county Superintendent of Health Dr. R.M. Parish, finds that the danger of rabies has passed. The order was made effective at once. Parrish said, “there exists in Carter County at this time and epidemic of a dangerous infectious disease known as rabies, and transmitted to man in most every instance by a dog.”April 1935
Allen Risner, 18 and his brother, Lawrence, 22, both of Lone Grove are to face charges of assault with intent to kill on Saturday morning, in connection with an attack on Leo Price, superintendent/teacher at Lone Grove, late Wednesday. Price was beaten over the head with a hammer and painfully hurt but was able to go back to his teaching on Thursday. Authorities said a disagreement between the teacher and the younger man resulted from practices of the youth and tormenting other children. Risner and his brother armed with a shotgun and a hammer determined to get revenge on Price. The two battled with the superintendent and the janitor.Q. The lowest temperature ever recorded was in what Oklahoma town?
A. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma was -27 degrees in Vinita on Feb. 13, 1905, and in Watts on Jan. 18, 1930.Q. Sequoyah, was an American and Cherokee polymath. In 1821 he completed his independent creation of a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. This was one of the very few times in recorded history that a member of a pre-literate people created an original, effective writing system. What was Sequoyah’s given name?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletterBelow is a concrete grave marker I made this week that sure turned out nice.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/DylonBruceGraveMarker.jpg
Below is a 12×12 inch concrete patio paver I got from Lowes to make a paver that will go in a garden in Texas. Turned out really nice.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/KillianCloudPaver.jpg
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of May 17, 2007
A Reader sent in a picture of Frank (Pistol Pete) Eaton taken at Perkins, OK around 1929.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/PistolPete1929.jpg
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Jayson Pruitt sent in a photo this week of the new monument on the Marshall County courthouse grounds in Madill with the Ten Commandments inscribed on it.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MarshallCo10Laws7a.jpghttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MarshallCo10Laws7b.jpg
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When I posted the pictures Tom Arnold sent in a couple weeks ago of his grandfather and father’s monument company, I failed to post one. It was taken about 1928 when Lee Arnold had his Ardmore Surface Vault Company at 1000 C SE before moving it further south. Here is this great piece of Ardmore history.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreSurfaceVault1928.jpg
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Last Saturday at noon, Jill and I traveled south to Lindsay, Texas to try some BBQ from the Smokehouse on Highway 82. We actually found two BBQ places there, so next time we’ll have to try the other one. I chose the sliced BBQ beef plate for $6.50 and Jill picked the smoked turkey plate for the same price. My sliced beef was a little on the dry side to me, but it was great tasting. But I think next time I’ll order the smoked turkey like Jill did, it was so moist and delicious, it just melted in your mouth. Here’s a pic I snapped of my sliced beef plate.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SmokehouseBBQ.jpghttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SmokehouseLindsayTX.jpg
But what caught my eye when we left Smokehouse BBQ was this huge corn field behind the restaurant. It was not as high as an elephants eye, but reached as far north as the eye could see, nearly.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LindsayCornField7a.jpg
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Monday, November 23, 1903
School House Burns near Healdton
Healdton: The Greenville school house, two miles north of this place, was destroyed by fire Friday night, a total loss. Some parties had been camping in the building.
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“Hello Butch, Jill… Just a note to you that my Niece-N-Law Beverly is a cook at “The Rock” cafe on Rt 66 in Stroud. If you or any of your This and That readers stop in you can stop by the kitchen and tell her hello. She is very nice and would appreciate any hello’s. The Rock and Beverly are featured in a news commentary on one of Tulsa’ s news stations. Not sure which one, but will try and get a copy for you. I just came back from there this weekend. Had a blast visiting!” -Becky Eads, Ardmore, OK
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/RockCafe7b.jpg
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“Hey Butch, Ryan Jennings here. I just wanted to share with you a fantastic experience I had this past weekend. Last Saturday I drove through Erick, Oklahoma (on I-40 just this side of the Texas state line) because I heard that the Roger Miller Museum is located there. As I passed it, I noticed that the museum didn’t look very interesting, so I just kept on driving. About one block south, I saw a storefront filled with old metal advertising signs, so I parked and began to walk inside, thinking I might be able to find some interesting stuff. It turns out I was right, but for a completely different reason! As soon as I set foot inside, a man with long hair and a long beard greeted me quite loudly. He invited me to sit down and have a coke with him. I sat down in a wooden chair, and he simply talked with me about all kinds of things. It turns out he and his wife are unofficial ambassadors for the Oklahoma stretch of Route 66, and they are VERY enthusiastic. He wore overalls with no shirt, which gave the impression of a true redneck. He is quite proud of that. After a few minutes of conversation, he (Harley) and his wife (Annabelle) pulled out acoustic guitars and proceeded to play “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” and “Wildwood Flower” among other classic standards. He and his wife are known as the Mediocre Music Makers, but after hearing them play two feet from my face, I can tell you that they are anything but mediocre. Aside from Eddie Van Halen, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen fingers move that fast on the neck of a guitar. He is one of the best guitarists I have ever heard, and he was playing literally right in front of me. I just sat slack-jawed that someone in such a small town could be so dramatically talented. Turns out he used to play with Charley Pride, Dottie West, Jan Howard and Jim Ed Brown. They were fantastic! As I left, Harley wrapped me in a bear hug and wished me well. These are extremely friendly folks, and they don’t charge a cent for entertainment. Nothing in their little shop is for sale. It is quite apparent that they absolutely LOVE what they do. They are true ambassadors and a really friendly couple. If you are ever up in that neck of the woods, stop by and sit with them for a little while. You’ll be treated really well, I can guarantee it. Rumor has it that Tow Mater in the movie Cars is modeled roughly after him, as Pixar has made two or three visits to their little shop for inspiration. Get up there the first chance you get! It was well worth the trip. I’m taking my family up for a visit next time they’re in the area.” -Ryan Jennings
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————————————————————————-Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
Ardmore Confederate Memorial day service
Our annual Memorial Day service at Rosehill Cemetery in Ardmore will be at 9:30am till approximately 11 AM, Monday, May 27th. Bring a folding chair, and try to arrive by 9:15. Location is to the right when you enter the north gate and to the far west side. Anyone needing further directions may email me at the address below.Terry Pierce
Sons of Confederate Veterans
terrypierce41@yahoo.com
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Butch, I found the photo of the J.W. Davis Grocery employee group photo interesting. My uncle, Jess Read, is in the middle of the photo. He was a long time employee of the Davis family and considered it a great job. Note, his last name is spelled Read, not Reed. -Keith Reed
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/DavisStoreEmployees1954.jpg
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———————————————–Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car. -E. B. White
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
“Friends Make Life Worth Living”PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us